Ad-hoc | 26 March 2002 08:29

TePla AG english

TePla AG: Annual Report Ad-hoc-announcement transmitted by DGAP. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ——————————————————————————– TePla AG: Revenues boosted by acquisitions in the USA / Earnings impacted by market slowdown in fourth quarter / Net loss for the year within expectations Feldkirchen, nr. Munich, 26.3.2002: TePla AG (securities code 746100)achieved a 28% increase in sales revenue to EUR 20.2 million in the 2001 financial year (2000: EUR 15.8 million). However, this growth is entirely attributable to the full inclusion for the first time of MetroLine Inc., the subsidiary acquired in October 2000, in the consolidated annual financial statements. Excluding MetroLine, revenues were down seven percent on the year and therefore close to the previous year’s figure. In the last three months of 2001, the company’s operations were severely impacted by the crisis afflicting the semiconductor market.TePla’s sales in the fourth quarter,normally the strongest, came in at EUR 3.3 million – not even half the figure for Q4/2000 (EUR 7.7 million). The revenue shortfalls cut earnings, which were further impacted by the major restructuring of US operations. As a consequence, the operating result (EBIT) for the year as a whole amounts to EUR -4.5 million (previous year: EUR -0,2 million). Capitalization of deferred tax assets as required by US GAAP amounted to EUR 2.1 million, resulting in a net loss of EUR -2.7 million (previous year: EUR -0.3 million) – approximately level with forecasts (EUR -2.5 million). Earnings per share, calculated according to DVFA accounting rules, were EUR -0.79, compared to EUR -0.08 in fiscal 2000. The company is cautiously optimistic for the current 2002 financial year. Although incoming orders in the first quarter were still unsatisfactory, as expected, the company has been registering a noticeable boost in customer enquiries, particularly from the semiconductor industry. In view of the widespread expectation of market recovery, TePla is expected to achieve positive earnings again from the third quarter onward. If that condition is met, the company expects a positive result also for the year as a whole. Contact Peter Banholzer (IR Manager), +49 (0)89/90503-106, e-mail: peter.banholzer@tepla.com end of ad-hoc-announcement (c)DGAP 26.03.2002 Issuer’s information/explanatory remarks concerning this ad-hoc-announcement: Background Following the slump in the market in 2001, sectoral experts now anticipate a noticeable upswing in the semiconductor industry during the second quarter. The investment backlog that ensued after the events of September 11 is expected to be successively dismantled in other sectors of industry as well. TePla AG stands to gain substantially from such investment activity, given that the company continued to pursue its research and development efforts rigorously throughout the past business year, despite the difficult situation on the market. Never before in the history of the company has TePla had such an attractive portfolio of products, superbly positioned in terms of their product life cycle. They address very different sectors and markets – in line with TePla’s growth strategy of successively diversifying its plasma technology to other, new industries. Since the beginning of the year, more than a hundred enquiries have been received, from the consumer goods and automotive industries especially,for the PlasmaPen alone, the product for point treatment of surfaces that has meanwhile been brought to series fruition. Several projects are almost ready for signing. Indeed last week, a far-reaching agreement was concluded with a major European producer of solar cells. We expect follow-up orders from this sector in the near future. ——————————————————————————– WKN: 746100; ISIN: DE0007461006; Index: Listed: Neuer Markt in Frankfurt; Freiverkehr in Berlin, Bremen, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover, München und Stuttgart 260829 Mär 02